Cedric Stewart returns to the family home near Killiney in County Dublin to visit his dying father. Estranged from the house and his 'stiff Protestant' parents through war, divorce and ideology, he finds renewed solace in Theresa, the Catholic housekeeper whom he has loved since he first knew the meaning of love.

A timeless story of class, love, religion and self-discovery, the beautifully crafted language of this acclaimed novel resonates as warmly today as it did on first publication, reaffirming Leland Bardwell's place among the great Irish writers.